Lets start with the facts of the case. Alissa Turney went missing on May 17, 2001. She was 17 years old living with her little sister, Sarah Turney, and step-father, Michael Turney. Michael Turney claims that he picked Alissa up from school early and took her home then later he left to pick up Sarah from school and when they returned Alissa was gone. There was a note left (there are many theories on this note) that said that she took all of her money and left for California (presumably to be with family that she had out there). Alissa made SEVERAL allegations against Michael that he was sexually abusing her. Michael Turney also HEAVILY monitored Alissa including a device to record both incoming and outgoing phone calls, cameras around the house to watch her, and even a camera inside the vent in her bedroom, and many others. Michael would go out of his way to tell everyone that he could that Alissa was "easily manipulated" and "stupid" because she had been diagnosed with ADHD. Sarah Turney has spent the majority of her adult life trying to find answers as to what happened to her sister. This case has so many twists and turns that I am not even going to try and explain the whole thing to you. But I urge you to go to justiceforalissa.com and read what happened in Sarah's own words. There are also been COUNTLESS podcasts and Youtube videos regarding the entire case. I suggest listening to The Murder Squad episode, the Crime Junkie episode, or even the episode on Mile Higher Podcast. If you would like a more in depth and much more detail oriented podcast about the disappearance of Alissa Turney please listen to the Voices For Justice Podcast. This is a podcast written, recorded, and produced by Sarah Turney in hopes of getting justice for her sister Alissa.
I was 6 years old when Alissa first disappeared so I wasn't involved from the beginning. Here is how I first heard about Alissa and her sister. I was in 8th grade when I had gotten sick and stayed home from school. Being the True Crime lover that I've always been I had the ID channel on while I was trying to get some rest. That's when the ABC 20/20 episode about Alissa aired. I was 14 at the time and I was completely consumed by the story I was hearing on the TV. I needed to know more. I spent the next 5 hours on the internet trying to learn everything I could about Alissa and her family. I'm not really sure what made me immediately become infatuated with this case, but everything about it kept me awake at night. At first Sarah sided with Michael and thought there was no way he could have ever done anything to Alissa. As the years went on Sarah started to see the light. She finally came to terms with the suspicions that her father could have killed her beloved sister. When I saw Sarah finally stop defending her father something in me clicked. I'm not really sure what it was, but something in me changed. I would find myself daydreaming about what Alissa's last day had to be like and sobbing for her. I think Alissa's story is what made me feel for strangers so deeply. Ever since I heard about her case and seen everything that Sarah has given up and seen all of the things that she has been able to do in the fight for justice for Alissa I started to feel deeply for the tragedies of strangers. Before learning about this case I didn't really feel much about the bad things I would see in the news. Afterwards I would feel so deeply that I would cry. Thinking about Alissa has kept me awake many nights crying because of the pain that she was in and the pain that Sarah has endured for years because of the unanswered questions and the inability of the Phoenix Sheriff's Department to provide justice for her and the rest of the family.
Sarah if you ever stumble across this post please know I would give my heart, lungs, and brain for you to have answers. The injustice in this case has risen to an all time high. You deserve better and so did Alissa. You are the single strongest person that I will ever know. You inspire me everyday to do the right thing and to stand up with and for people that need it. I have been supporting you from this small town here in Texas for 6 years and I won't stop until you get justice for Alissa. You inspire people everyday to keep on fighting the good fight. Your hard work and dedication to the memory of your sister is truly one of the most awe-inspiring things I have ever seen in my short life. I hope to have the privilege of meeting you one day so I can tell all of this to you in person and I hope that one day I will be here in my tiny town celebrating with you when justice for Alissa has finally been served. I know your dad has told you that you will get answers on his "death bed" but I hope and pray every single day that you get those answers sooner. Every day I wake up saying "Today is the day" but it still hasn't happened. One of these days it will and on the day that I am right I hope that you gain the closure that you need. I've been listening to Voices for Justice since the beginning and honestly I can't wait until you take on the stories of other families in the same position as you are now. That will mean that Alissa finally has justice. You are strong. You are valued. You are loved. You are smart. You are courageous. You are a role model. You are going to get justice.
I want to close this by saying that no other case has kept me awake thinking at night like Alissa's has. No other case has made me wake up weeping for the young girl that didn't get to live her life to the fullest. No other case has made me feel like there is a hole in my gut that can't be filled. No other case makes me cry thinking about justice being served. Since first hearing about Alissa and Sarah's story I have volunteered with victims rights charities, I have walked with sexual assault survivors into court to face their attackers, I have shared my story of domestic violence, I have done work that makes me happy, I have held the hand of a survivor while she tells the police her story for the 8th time. I have wiped the tears out of a woman's eye when her ex-husband finally got convicted for beating her in front of their children. Without Sarah's unwavering dedication to Alissa and to justice I never would have thought being this happy with your job was possible. I never would have had the innate need to help survivors of tragedy like I do now. Despite all of the bad things that had to happen, I am grateful for Sarah and Alissa Turney guiding me to a place where I can help those that need it the most.
To Alissa Turney- the girl that made me feel again- You are a sweet baby angel that deserves way more than she ever got.
To Sarah Turney- the woman that taught me that sometimes your life is bigger than just yourself- Thank you for unknowingly guiding me to do what my life has always been missing.
To Michael Turney- the man that deserves nothing- Sarah is coming for you. There are people behind her that would do anything to see you pay for what you did to Alissa. You have gotten away with it for this long but those days are numbered. We are coming for you.
